Stay on top of your debt
Credit Card Debt Management
Year
2025
Client
Experian
Objective & Context
As a Senior Product Design Manager, I led the design of the Credit Card Payoff Planner, a feature within Experian’s Personal Financial Management (PFM) tool.
The goal was to help users take control of credit card debt through smart payment planning, progress visualization, and personalized recommendations.
Our mission was to make debt management approachable and rewarding, reducing anxiety while motivating users to achieve financial freedom.
Design challenges
Motivation & Behavior Change
Encouraging users to stay committed to long-term payoff plans required a motivational experience. We had to balance emotional design, clear goal-setting, and small wins to sustain engagement over time.
Data Accuracy & Trust
Users were skeptical about projected payoff dates and savings estimates. Designing transparent calculations and accessible explanations was essential to build confidence and drive continued usage.
Complex Financial Inputs
Every user’s debt situation is unique — multiple cards, varying interest rates, and changing payments. The challenge was to simplify complexity into an intuitive experience that still felt precise and reliable.
Integration with Experian’s Ecosystem
Ensuring seamless integration within Experian’s broader ecosystem (CreditHub, Smart Money, and PFM) was crucial. Users needed consistent navigation, design language, and real-time account sync.
My approach
User-Centric Discovery
Partnered with the research team to interview users with high revolving debt. Identified friction around understanding interest impact, inconsistent payments, and lack of motivation.
Data Visualization
Designed a clean, interactive progress dashboard showing debt-free timelines, monthly goals, and total interest saved. Used color and motion to emphasize milestones and progress.
Guided Payoff Strategies
Integrated payoff methods such as Avalanche and Snowball — with clear trade-offs and simulation tools for informed decisions.
Iterative Validation
Prototyped multiple versions of the progress tracker and savings estimator. Conducted usability testing to refine language, layout, and feedback moments for maximum clarity and motivation.
